Discovery
by Britedark
Summary: Sesshomaru makes an unpleasant discovery about his father. Pre-canon .


_Disclaimer: __This story is based on "Inuyasha," copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. No infringement of copyright intended or implied._

**Discovery**

Sesshomaru had not sensed his father's youki in many, many moons. At first, he had thought nothing of it: he had, after all, long since left his father's protection. Nevertheless, the old dog had kept a distant eye on him, coming within sensing range from time to time, and occasionally pouncing to test his son's growing skills and strength. But as the time since their last contact increased, Sesshomaru became first puzzled, then miffed, and then—though he would never had admitted to it—just a bit concerned. After all, the Inu no Taisho had been rumored to be losing strength for decades. The old man had only ever laughed the idea off, but still...

So, when a change of wind abruptly brought his father's scent to his nose, Sesshomaru reacted, springing above the trees and heading directly towards that elusive scent. As he neared, he felt his father's youki abruptly flaring. As he soared above the crest of a hill, he had to dodge as lambent yellow streams of pure power plowed furrows up the slope, destroying every tree, animal, and youki in its path.

Astonished, Sesshomaru hung for a second well above the top of hill, looking down into the valley. It had changed from his memory of nothing but meadows and trees. A human habitation had been carved into the valley, and the stench of humans was emanating from within its walls. And before the open gates stood his father, with a sword in his hand.

The Inu no Taisho had never wielded a sword in Sesshomaru's memory.

Throttling down his youki to keep it from seeming threatening, and hiding his puzzlement behind a stoic exterior, Sesshomaru descended, neither quickly nor slowly. His father watched him for some moments, the broad, glowing blade held in a downward pointing guard position. Then he sheathed the blade, the power emanating from it vanishing as it did.

"Sesshomaru." There was a slight wariness in his father's expression.

"Chichi-ue." The young tai-youkai gave his father a respectful bow, then straightened, trying to keep his eyes from straying to what now looked like nothing more than a simple sword with a battered hilt. There was a moment of awkward silence, and then Sesshomaru had to ask. "You rely now on a sword, father?"

Something glinted in the ancient, golden eyes. "No, I only give Tessaiga training."

The younger youkai's eyes flicked to the sword. "Tessaiga," he repeated, testing the name. _Iron-crushing fang._ He blinked, as he realized the power that had shattered the hill had been his father's youki, but transformed. Fang. His _father's _fang, transmuted into a sword. The sword had shattered the hill. Sesshomaru felt a twinge of what could only be called avarice. His father's power in a sword—how that would advance his goal of surpassing his father's strength! To have that much power to hand—

"You intend the sword for another?" he asked, as neutrally as he could, hiding his puzzlement, for the idea that his father would simply give power away didn't fit what he knew of him. His father had made him earn every bit of his skill and strength—why would he change his mind?

"Eventually," his father replied, with just a hint of amusement. Sesshomaru bristled inside, knowing that the older youkai had sensed his desire. Then the amusement disappeared, and the Inu No Taisho held a hand out to his side. "My lady?"

Something stirred behind the gate. Sesshomaru stiffened as a sumptuously dressed human woman walked forward and placed her hand in his. He breathed in, and stepped back in shock. His father's scent mixed with hers, and worse. There was a different scent, an otherness. He snapped his eyes back to his father's face. "What have you done!" he demanded, a growing sense of outrage coloring his voice, flashing in his eyes. "She is human!"

"She is my beloved," was the simple answer.

Sesshomaru stared at his father in open disbelief. _Beloved?_ The young youkai knew the word, knew it was not infrequently used in among the short-lived, weakling humans. But to hear that word from a youkai's mouth—from his _father's_ mouth—never! There had been no love between his parents, Sesshomaru knew that well—it had been lust, instincts, liking, perhaps, and desires that each could be met by the other. A bargain, no more. But this? Oh, a youkai could lust for a human, though it was most often a lust for the power that could be obtained in taking the thing by force, rather than attraction for the physical form. But love? Human and youkai didn't mix—couldn't mix! As well mix water and oil! It was an outrage to even try! And for his father—_his _father—the strongest tai-youkai in existence…

"Sesshomaru—"

The sharp snap of his father's voice, the warning growl, and the flicker of motion as the older youkai shifted in front of his mate, brought Sesshomaru's attention back to himself. To his chagrin, he realized he had quite lost the cool, unemotional mask that he had cultivated for so many years. With an effort, he calmed his youki, drawing back the poison that had surged to his claws. But his feelings would not calm down so easily. He glared at his father, fighting a growing sense of outrage and betrayal. "How could you?!" he finally burst out, unable to constrain his anger. "You're the Inu no Taisho! How can you lower yourself to this! She's—she's filth! Destroy her and that thing you've—"

A clawed hand was wrapped around his throat, cutting off his voice, as blazing amber eyes glowered down at him from the hand-width difference in height that the younger youkai had yet to grow into. "Do not insult Izayoi, my son," said the Inu no Taisho very softly, but with a diamond-hard edge of anger in his voice that had never been turned against his son. "I have no desire to kill you, but I will be perfectly willing to beat you into a whimpering pulp if you speak like that again. Do you understand?"

His father's aura was overwhelming. Sesshomaru looked away from those burning eyes, and managed a nod. The hand released his throat and—quite gently—pushed him back. "Leave, Sesshomaru," he said quietly. "Return when you learn that civility towards a human is not a wasted trait."

He looked up as his father walked back to join the human woman. Sesshomaru clenched his hands, wanting to go after his father, shout at his father, demand that his father change his mind. But it would be futile—utterly and completely futile.

His father turned back, settling a protective arm about the human woman. Sesshomaru trembled inside with his bitterness and rage, and then did the only thing he could think to do. Transforming into his dog form, he snarled at his father, and then whirled and leaped away. Landing on the ruined hilltop, he dug his rear feet into the disturbed earth, kicking massive clods and rocks into the air. And then, he took off, speeding through the air, refusing to look back.

* * *

"That was rude."

The youkai looked down at the young woman snuggled against his side, and sighed. "He's still just a pup. And there's some things I can't teach him."

"Ah?"

He smiled sadly at her, breathing in her scent, including that elusive note that said she was newly pregnant. "He doesn't understand that strength isn't always what it seems. He sees strength only in the power of his claws, his poison, his youki. To him, humans are only weak, short-lived things not worth bothering with."

"But we are short-lived, my lord," she murmured. "And compared to your kind, weak."

He tightened his grip, but ever so gently. "Only in physical strength, my butterfly. And if one finds a cherished thing, and loves it for only an hour, is not that better than to have lived life, not even knowing what love is?"

She turned within his grasp, reaching up to touch his face. "I have never not known love, my lord. But for you, I have and would give everything, to have you in my arms, in my heart, for even a single night."

"And I, you." He pressed his lips against her bangs, before releasing his hold. Pulling Tessaiga in its sheath from his obi, he handed it to her. "I must go to Totosai. Make sure everyone is gathered in before dark."

She took the sword, nodding, not looking at the few people who lingered in the courtyard. Her people, now, once refugees, those few brave—or reckless—enough to take a chance on a taiyoukai's offer of refuge. The sword, placed in the brackets of the closed main door, would protect all within the building. "Tensaiga is finished?"

"From the feel of Tessaiga, yes." He touched the hilt, and she felt it vibrate in her hands. He placed both hands on her shoulders, searching her eyes. "Be safe, butterfly."

She smiled up at him. "You too, old dog," she teased. He smiled back, but there was sadness in his eyes. Stepping back, he leaped upwards, turning into a ball of light. Izayoi watched the point where he had disappeared for a long moment. And then, she turned around. For there was much to do.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This one-shot was originally written for the Inuyasha Fanfic Contest (iyfic_contest) community on LiveJournal, for the theme "Oil and Water." It was originally posted on 11/18/2008. It has been re-edited before posting here. The story was originally titled 'Beloved'.


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